Happy As a Clam
by lennybusker
Summary: Another Welcome Back, Hatter one shot.


The Mad Hatter was so stoked. Beyond excited. He never thought this day would come. He had won a castle in a contest which meant that he had to move out of his giant hat of a house. So, of course he was up in his attic trying to figure out what to take with him. There was just too much junk and it was quite overwhelming for him. Luckily for him, the March Hare had walked into his attic. Hare would know what to do.

As Hatter tapped on one of the trunks in thought, he turned around to see that Hare had arrived. "Oh, Hare!" The host rushed up to him and pulled him down the small flight of stairs as he continued to talk. "Glad you're here I need your help!" He exclaimed.

"You do?" Hare asked, wondering what exactly he had to do. As long as he got to spend time with his best friend then by all means… what did he have to do?

"Yes! I need your help to decide what to take with me when I move!" The Hatter explained as he gently placed a hand on the Hare's back before walking over to his desk.

Of course he wanted Hare for that reason. Nothing more. Nothing less. They were just friends, but the March Hare did his best to not look too disappointed. All he ever wanted was to admit his true feelings, but he had a feeling that Hatter only viewed him as a friend.

"Now… teapots and teacups?" Hatter suggested as he held those up, tilting his head curiously.

Hare on the other hand, shrugged his shoulders and put his hands up since he didn't know the first thing about moving to such a place. He really wasn't into doing this at all to begin with.

After a moment, Hatter shook his head. "Nahhhh, castles are probably full of dishes!" He then tossed the items behind him, breaking them as always before he rushed up the small flight of stairs. "Hat rack? You think-" Hatter then rolled his eyes. "Noooo… a castle probably has got hundreds of them!" The host then gasped and rushed down to grab something else. "My baseball bat!" He looked back at Hare who gave him the same look when he asked him about the dishes. "Oh, no…. they probably got more of these lying around than you can shake a stick at!" He added as he tossed the baseball bat behind him.

Hare just couldn't believe that Hatter was going through with this. Did he not care about how he was feeling? It seemed like no matter how much Hare loved him, Hatter didn't feel the same way about it. Wasn't it obvious though? The host was always very self-centered and egotistical, but somehow the March Hare fell for him. Sometimes he wished he could quit him. His thoughts were interrupted however when he felt the Hatter move him out of the way. It was almost like a metaphor for how their relationship was.

The Mad Hatter dug through a smaller trunk before he found the one thing he knew he needed. Oh! Wait…" He pulled out his bowling shoes. "My bowling shoes! Now these I'll need!" He grinned as he shoved Hare out of the way and placed them in a small trunk that would fit them before he closed the larger trunk and sat down on it. "There! All packed." The host continued to grin at the depressed Hare. "Now, as for the house and the rest of this stuff? Hare, it's all yours."

The March Hare couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Mine…?" He asked with a slight smile on his face. It was a very nice gesture.

"Sure! I won't be needing it! After all, I'll be living in a castle! They probably have 43 bedrooms, 18 kitchens, 10 swimming pools!" Hatter was becoming more and more excited as he thought of what his castle would look like. He just couldn't wait. "Doesn't that sound great?!" The host asked as he looked back at his furry friend.

When Hare listened to Hatter ramble on, his face fell even though he was trying not to show it. He just couldn't help it. "I guess? If all it takes for you to be happy is to have everything you ever want out of life!" He explained with a faint chuckle, trying not to seem upset as he looked down with a hand on his hip.

Okay. Something was up with the March Hare and Hatter had to get to the bottom of it. "Hare?" He stood up abruptly. "If I didn't know better I'd say you almost don't sound happy for me…." The host said with a frown as he looked down at his best friend.

Putting on his best game face, Hare rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Awwww, nonsense! I'm happy as a clam!" He added with a forced chuckle that sounded almost agonizing to hear.

"Clams are happy?" Hatter asked a bit confused with what appeared to the strangest metaphor that he ever heard. He had to look that one up when given the time.

"When they're around their best friends they are…" The Hare added as he looked away from Hatter. The tone in his voice was that of sadness obviously. This really was becoming a nightmare for him.

Hatter then assumed what was bothering the Hare, even though he was nowhere near correct. "Oh, listen." He started as he stood closer to the Hare with his hands on his shoulders in a comforting manner. "Now I know I'll be moving pretty far away, but… well you can come see me anytime that you'd like." Hatter tried as he tilted his head. "Right?"

Getting all choked up, Hare responded as he fumbled with his hands. "Right…" He continued to look down, trying to be excited for his best friend. It was so difficult when he was suffering.

"Great!" Hatter shook him up slightly which made the Hare jolt a bit as the host pulled away from him. "Well, I better straighten up! After all, I don't wanna give you a house with a messy attic!" He added as he started to clean up.

Nodding his head, Hare began to back away slowly. "I should leave anyway… I'd have to go wander aimlessly though the forest with nothing in particular to do!" He emphasized as he walked up the small flight of stairs. That didn't convince Hatter at all.

"Alright, thanks for stopping by now!" Hatter replied before he continued to clean up.

The Hare then stopped midway and looked back at the host. "Guess I'll see you later and by the way, Hatter?" He mumbled as he placed his hand on the banister, swallowing hard. His breath hitched when Hatter turned to face him. "I hope you love your new castle…"

Looking up at Hare, the Hatter spoke up. "Well, how can I not love it? I'm sure it'll have everything!" The host exclaimed with a wide grin.

Chuckling lightly, Hare nodded. "Everything…. except me…." He muttered before he finally disappeared.

The Mad Hatter paused to see that Hare was gone before he shrugged to himself and continued to clean up.

Meanwhile, the March Hare closed the attic door and slid down onto the floor before he put his face in his hands and cried softly. He just couldn't go home. All of this was breaking his heart. Hare just didn't feel like moving. It was all finally hitting him.

As Hatter continued to clean, he could hear the faintest of cries. He knew those cries better than anyone. "Hare?" He asked to himself before he rushed up the stairs and opened the door to see the Hare nearly fall back since he was leaning against the door. "Hare?" The host asked as he looked down.

Sniffling as he sat up, Hare wiped his nose and forced a smile. "H-Hi, Hatter…" He looked down at his lap as he felt the host plop down on his knees in front of him.

"Alright. Tell me what's really on your mind. We've always been honest with each other now spill it." The Hatter demanded as he watched his best friend who was wiping the tears away from his eyes.

After much debate, Hare finally gave up. "F-Fine! You wanna know the truth?" Hare asked as he sniffled again, losing his cool. "I'm in love with you! There! I said it! And now you're moving away from me like it's no big deal! You're leaving me to be alone, but go ahead! Leave me! I'm sure you don't even have feelings for me…" He muttered as he looked down and sighed, feeling a giant weight being lifted off of his shoulders.

Hatter's gaze softened as he listened to Hare before he placed a hand on the meek Hare's cheek tenderly. "Hare… you feel the same way about me as I feel about you?" He asked as Hare continued to look down. "Hare, look at me… Hare." The host said sternly as the Hare looked back at him. "You know I love you, don't you? From the moment we met I felt something."

"You have feelings for me, too?" Hare asked as he bit his bottom lip and looked to see that the host had entwined their fingers together. "Do you have to go?" He asked as his bottom lip quivered. Of course he would break down if Hatter said he had to leave him by himself.

The Mad Hatter realized in that moment that he couldn't leave his Hare behind. He had to stay. Standing up, Hatter then pulled Hare up on his own two feet. "No." The host then picked the Hare up bridal style and carried him to his bedroom.

Letting out a shaky breath, the March Hare rested his head on Hatter's shoulder as he was carried to his bedroom. When he felt Hatter place him down, he looked up to see the host removing his suit jacket.

Once his suit jacket was removed, Hatter climbed into bed with Hare who was removing his suit jacket as well. He smiled as he moved closer to Hare and laced their fingers together, looking into his eyes. "Hi."

Blushing, Hare chuckled nervously as he bit his bottom lip gently. "H-Hi…" He watched as the host pressed soft kisses to his gloved knuckles. It was such a reassuring gesture that he made the Hare fall for the Hatter even more than he already did.

As Hatter went to lean in closer to Hare, his phone rang and he groaned when he answered it. He was so close to kissing those thin lips. Sighing, he answered the phone. "Hello? Yes, this is the Mad Hatter… uh-huh…. this is about the castle? Yes… oh… you don't say…" Nodding his head, he smiled. "That's fine. You can keep it. Great. Bye." He then hung up and looked back at Hare. "My castle was nothing but a plastic piece of junk."

Widening his eyes, Hare hugged Hatter tightly. "Oh, Hatter! I'm so relieved! Now we can be together!"

Chuckling, Hatter rubbed Hare's back before he pulled away slightly. "Good. That means I can finally do this." He whispered as he tilted Hare's chin and pressed a tender loving kiss to his lips. He was glad that Hare returned the kiss as well.

Hare grinned as he nuzzled their noses together and went to rest his head against the Hatter's broad chest. "I'm so happy, Hatter… that was my first kiss." He whispered as he laced their fingers together, breathing out a chuckle.

"I'm glad I that I was your first and I plan on giving you plenty more in time." The Mad Hatter replied with a soft smirk as he rubbed soothing circles against the March Hare's back. "In fact… I'm happy as a clam." He added as he waited for Hare to respond to that one because he totally stole that from him.

"Clams are happy?"

"When they're around their soulmates they are."


End file.
